Fungi are known to cause a variety of infectious diseases in man, animals, and plants. In man, for instance, they cause superficial mycosis affecting the skin, oral cavity, etc. and systemic mycosis affecting the viscera, brain, etc. They cause similar infections in pet and domestic animals as well. Furthermore, fungi inflict various hazardous effects on plants such as orchard trees and vegetables.
As the principal pathogenic fungi causing systemic mycosis in man, those of the genera Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus, among others, are known. As to superficial mycosis, candidal species affecting the skin, oral cavity, and vagina and trichophytons infecting the skin of the extremities are regarded as the major pathogenic fungi. Besides those fungi, many other fungi exist in the environment and are suspected to contaminate the animal and vegetable kingdoms.
As antimycotics of use for the prevention and treatment of such fungal infections and contaminations, only a very few are known. As therapeutic drugs for systemic mycosis in man and animals, for instance, amphotericin B, flucytosine, miconazole, and fluconazole can be mentioned. However, those compounds are not fully satisfactory in potency, toxic potential, or antifungal spectrum, thus being not impeccable as therapeutic drugs.